Disclaimer: Don't own the anime/manga this is based off of.
A/N: Reviews make me so happy and I don't know why. Since there were a couple of questions I'll answer them
Mrasdfghj: Although I plan to relate this story with other fics I make in the future, the Parts do not imply that we'll be seeing Naruto and friends in this story (though you might see Naruto as a baby….)
Dragon Man 180: you'll see. Besides, we all know Jiraiya trained the fourth (who I've named Sei in honor of the guy who slew the kyuubi in myth) so it would be kind of hard not to have him.
I had hoped to move at a faster pace, but school is getting in the way (believe me, I'd much rather be updating). Bare with me and I'll do my best to update as often as I can. Other than that, hope you enjoy.
"Wake up sleepy heads. Breakfast is ready," said a voice. Sei was tempted by the offer of food but decided that sleep was more precious. He did not here the person again and quickly drifted off to sleep once more. Several minutes later a bucket of water was thrown on the sleeping children causing both of them to jump up.
"What was that for!" He demanded of the person holding the bucket. He was a little surprised to see Nawaki was the culprit and that he was smiling. Sure there was something evil about the grin, but it was the first time Sei had seen one directed at him in a long time. Kyu on the other hand looked as if she wanted to blacken his other eye.
"Nee-chan tried waking you two up earlier but failed. She told me to do it instead and said I was to use 'any means necessary'. Besides, we have worse things to worry about." The smirk vanished and was replaced by a look of horror. "Mom didn't come home last night so my sister is…" Nawaki gulped, "…cooking."
The same look of horror appeared on Sei's face and he tried to make a break for the door. Nawaki grabbed him shouting, "If I have to eat it, so do you! Consider it payment for letting you stay the night!"
As confused as Kyu was, she was glad to see that the boys were on better terms. She knew that Nawaki had been listening in on their conversation, and although she had not said anything for his benefit, she was glad that the things Sei had revealed had touched Nawaki. She just hoped the peace would last.
"That's enough you two! I've had it with you guys insulting my cooking. I'm trying really hard here." They heard Tsunade shout from the kitchen. Kyu got up to claim her free meal, which stunned the two boys. No one they knew would willingly eat anything Tsunade made, but then again Kyu was new. Realizing that Kyu might actually eat what Tsunade served her, the two boys panicked and ran for the kitchen.
What they saw was truly amazing. Kyu was happily munching away at the batch of cookies Tsunade had made. Tsunade was pleased beyond words, hugging the girl as she ate. She glared at the boys who were previously insulting her, "I told you I was getting better."
The two boys looked at each other. If Kyu could stomach it, then so should they, right? They both grabbed a cookie from the platter and after saying a brief prayer to a god of their choosing they took a bite. Both agreed that the food they were eating was a definite improvement from when they had been hospitalized. However, neither Sei nor Nawaki could stop themselves from gagging and then rushing off to find an appropriate place to hurl. Nawaki used the trash bin while Sei headed for the sink.
Sei decided that Kyu possessed a cast-iron stomach and that seemed much more impressive than either her speed or her sense of smell. Sei could not help but envy the girl as his stomach once again emptied itself. As the two boys noisily went about their business and Tsunade scolded them for making it look worse than it was, Kyu heard the knock at the door. Seeing as how everyone else was distracted, she went to answer it.
She opened the door to find a rather tall man with long, spiky gray hair. Kyu noticed that he was not wearing the jacket or headband that the guards at the Hokage's office had worn so she wondered if he was really a ninja. Then again, neither had that bastard at the gate, and from what Sei had told her, Orochimaru was one of the strongest ninja in the village. However, the man's carefree attitude and honest smile reassured the girl that he was nothing like the pale-faced loser she had met the other day.
"Who are you?" Kyu asked, only opening the door enough for her to see him, but not enough for him to step in.
"Who am I?" the man asked, surprised that the girl did not know him. His answer came with a dance Kyu found rather entertaining.
"Most talented student of the greatest Hokage in history, summoner of the mighty toads, enemy to snake-summoning bastards, protector of Konoha, and admirer of beautiful women...
"I am the great JIRAIYA!"
When the man was done, Kyu could not stop herself from giggling. "You're funny," she said.
"Heh, heh, heh. What do we have here? You must be the mystery girl I've heard so much about! Nice to meet you," the man with long, spiky gray hair said. "Is Tsunade-hime around?"
"She's busy right now."
The man grinned slyly. "Excellent."
Seeing that the two boys no longer had anything in them to hurl, Tsunade began to wonder where Kyu had run off to. She asked the two eight year olds if they had seen her leave, and, not having the strength to speak, they pointed towards the door that led to the family room. She decided to see what the young girl was up to and headed off.
When she found her, Tsunade's blood began to boil at the sight of the person keeping her company. Kyu was on the couch listening to the medic-nin's teammate, who was sitting on the floor, ramble on about god knows what. The fact that they were talking and laughing together made her very nervous. "Jiraiya! What they hell are you doing here?" She demanded of the toad summoner.
"Would you relax? Sarutobi-sensei told me to escort the girl and the blond to see him. You could have a little more faith in your dear partner," Jiraiya said with an innocent look in his eyes.
"Stand up!"
"What for?"
"Just do it!" When the man finally stood, Tsunade began patting him down as if she were looking for something. When the gray haired man made a comment about the kinkiness of the situation, Tsunade paused her search long enough to smack him upside the head. When she was finished she muttered, "You're clean," and then took a seat on the couch next to Kyu.
At that point, the two boys who had been recuperating in the kitchen decided to make their way to the family room to investigate the yelling. Seeing Jiraiya was in the room, neither felt it necessary to ask. Sei and Nawaki muttered their greeting and sat down on the floor.
Jiraiya leaned over and asked Sei about his encounter with Orochimaru. After telling the perverted sannin about how he had stood up to and embarrassed the snake summoner, Jiraiya gave him two thumbs up and various other congratulations. The easy mood of the room was soon ended when Kyu spoke.
"Tsunade-sama is it true that your chest used to be as flat as mine?" the little girl asked innocently.
The two boys went pale, knowing how taboo such a remark was in front of her. Their faces of horror were nothing compared to Jiraiya's as Tsunade glared angrily at him. She lunged from her seat on the couch with murderous intent towards her teammate yelling, "You bastard," "You're a dead man," and "What the hell have you been teaching her?"
Bruised and broken, the pervert was finally allowed to get up. It was his job to take them to see Sandaime after all. When the two had collected their few belongings, Kyu and Sei headed for the door, dragging the battered sannin with them. The three waved goodbye to Nawaki and Tsunade and made their way once more to see the Hokage.
The two were nearing their destination, when Jiraiya looked down at Kyu. "Hand it over," he said, and Kyu reached into a hidden pocket to reveal a pair of Tsunade's panties. Oh, but these were not just any pair of underwear. These were the pink lacey ones Tsunade for special occasions. At least, that was what Nawaki had told Sei, and Sei had always been curious as to how he knew that.
"Are you insane!" Sei whispered loudly, almost as if he feared Tsunade could hear him. "You sure know how to set an example. Do you really want to die?"
"Shut up, kid. After that beating, I feel even less guilty about taking them….not that I felt guilty about it to begin with."
Sei looked over at Kyu. "Why did you help him? You had to have known Tsunade would be mad if she found out something was stolen."
Kyu smiled and said, "I figured she had plenty of them and that she could always buy another pair." At this, Jiraiya's only thoughts were hell yeah! Kyu added, "Besides, when the big guy found out how much I like ramen, he promised to buy all the ramen I could eat for a month."
Sei smiled inwardly. Jiraiya had gotten the short end of that deal and had no idea. "Hmph," came Jiraiya. "If I remember correctly, it was you that caused her to go crazy on my ass. We're even as far as I'm concerned."
Kyu did not look disappointed nor did she lose her temper. Instead, she looked up at Jiraiya with puppy dog eyes and said, "I'm sorry Tsunade-neechan, that bad man made me take them. I didn't want to, I swear." Jiraiya stopped dead in his tracks.
"You wouldn't!"
"Not if you don't make me," Kyu replied. Sei dropped to the ground, no longer able to contain his laughter.
When the trio finally arrived at the building, they simply breezed through the guards, walking up the stairs that lead to the entrance. Jiraiya guided them down a short hallway and opened the door to Sandaime's office. The room was large but simple. The room was circular in shape, with tall, rectangular windows across from the entrance. There were a few potted plants and a couple of couches against the wall, but the main furniture was a desk with large stacks of documents on it.
"The kids you wanted to see are here," Jiraiya said to the man wearing the red and white outfit and triangular hat with the symbol fire on it. He looked at the children and motioned for them to step forward. Kyu was nervous but did so.
"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" the Hokage asked.
Sei once again told the story of their encounter, making sure to exclude details he felt would do more harm then good. He hoped the fact that Kyu had amnesia and had nowhere else to go would be enough to sway him. When Sei had finished his story, he added, "Hokage-sama, please let her stay in the village, even if it's just until her memory returns. She has nowhere to go, no one to trust, and no memory to guide her."
Sarutobi was quiet while he thought. He had every intention of letting the girl stay since he was not the kind of person to just abandon the weak and helpless. However, he saw the potential in Sei to become a great shinobi and knew that he would never choose the path of a ninja unless he had good reason. The leader of the village decided to take a chance.
"I would like nothing more than to let your friend stay. However, she's too old to enter the orphanage and as you've mentioned, few families would be willing to take in someone they felt was a spy. From the looks of things, she is very attached to you, so whoever takes her in would also have to take you in. I'm afraid that Tsunade's household is incapable of housing two more members so they're out of the question. Where do you suggest she stay?"
Sei thought about this. It was definitely true that Kyu would not be comfortable staying anywhere without him. He himself did not want to simply leave Kyu with another family without being able to keep an eye on her. "I'm already living on my own and there is plenty of room for her. She could stay with me."
Sarutobi had hoped for such a response, but he stayed silent to let the tension build. When he was ready he said, "I'll make you a deal Sei. I cannot just allow her to stay with you as if she were a pet. She is a human being and a girl, so I need to know you can take care of her as such.
"If you enter the academy, pass, and are officially declared a genin, I'll allow you to look after her as if it were a mission. Well?"
"That doesn't make any sense. If I'm at the academy, how am I supposed to watch over her?"
"If she wishes, she can enter the academy and become a ninja just like you. How's that?"
Sei thought it over. If Kyu were to become a ninja, most people would overlook her abilities since they would be benefiting the village. He definitely would have an easier time watching over her if they both attended the academy and it would give them both the chance to prove themselves to the village. First, he needed to make sure Kyu was okay with this arrangement. This meeting was for her, not him.
"Kyu-chan, is this alright with you?"
There was a concerned look in her eyes. "I thought you didn't want to be a ninja. I don't want you doing something you don't want to just for me."
Kyu looked at her with a reassuring smile. "It's fine with me. Besides, you're the one that told me to show everyone I'm not a monster. This is a good place to start." Kyu was hesitant, but in the end she said she was okay with it. Sei then turned back to Sarutobi.
"It's a deal."